Centrifuges work by speeding up the sedimentation of particles. In a centrifuge, the acceleration due to gravity in sedimentation is replaced by the centrifugal force generated by the spin of the centrifuge. Centrifuges can work at very high speeds (often up to 10,000 rpm) and have very high flow-rate. Most are now self-decanting (automatic extraction of lees), and those used for sparkling wines are completely hermetically sealed. Their uses include:

• Rapid clarification of musts
• Removal of yeasts during fermentation to slow down the alcoholic fermentation
• Post-fermentation clarification, removing yeasts, particularly for stopped fermentations
• Immediate clarification of fined wines

Centrifuges are excellent for removing dense particles, such as bits of grape skin, but will only remove a proportion of them: they never lead to their complete elimination. Centrifuges are also expensive and very noisy, but they are often used as they have a very high flow-rate, and can handle quite high solid levels. Modern centrifuges can be very effective if run sensibly.